The European Institute of Romania (EIR) organised on Wednesday, 14 June 2023, from 14:30 – 16.00, in partnership with the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), an online dialogue on the occasion of the launch of the collective volume “Climate Change and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals”. The chapter on Romania, entitled “Romania’s Fight Against Climate Change. Contributing to Ambitious European Targets While Facing Deep-Rooted Sectoral Flaws” was written by Eliza Vaș, Head of European Studies Unit and Mihai Sebe, Head of Training and Projects Unit (European Institute of Romania).
The event was attended by Oana-Mihaela Mocanu, Director General of the European Institute of Romania, Alina Bârgăoanu, Professor, National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Bucharest, President of the Administrative board, European Institute of Romania, and by Ciprian Stănescu, President and CEO of Social Innovation Solutions, experts in combating misinformation and promoting sustainability.
The moderation was provided by Michael Kaeding, co-editor of the book, Professor of European Integration and EU Policies, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
The main ideas put forward during this dialogue were the following:
- Romania supports the green transition and there is public interest in the topic of climate change. It is important in this discussion about the effects of climate change to think about how exactly we put the issue on the public agenda.
- Romania is contributing to the EU’s ambitious targets in the fight against global warming, for example in the green transition regarding transport, but at the same time it faces structural problems that highlight the particularities of its Member States. In Romania, for example, about 40% of the population heats with wood. In this context, it is important to take into account cultural factors as well as socio-economic realities in the Member States.
- Global warming will be an important issue in the 2024 European Parliament elections. Given the complexity of the subject, the European Union cannot respond to global warming alone, but in tandem with countries like the US and China. Only together can these three actors positively influence policies to combat global warming. Global warming will figure in five to ten years’ time as a significant aspect of European security policy, particularly in the context of climate migration.
- Global warming affects countries and regions differently, so responses also need to be linked and costs distributed according to the impact, as well as the different capacities of the Member States, regions, etc.
- Although the issue of climate change is very often presented in a negative, even dramatic way, there is also the possibility to turn these changes into opportunities (for example in the field of energy, agriculture or the circular economy).
- There are also voices in the public arena that argue that climate change is not a relevant topic, but rather a forced issue. The most effective way to counter this kind of approach that misinforms and presents false information is to develop effective communication campaigns. Another recommendation to address these harmful practices was to increase transparency in the management of funds used to accelerate the green transition.